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Farmers' Markets (FMs) have gained relevance in recent years as increasingly acknowledged to be critical to turn to more equitable food systems, easing agroecological transition, and preserving biocultural heritage. However, the issue of the forms of social and institutional coordination needed to create, organize, manage and promote FMs is a recent topic in the literature, and their governance is still poorly considered. Based on a set of case studies in Tuscany, Italy, this paper intends to contribute to filling this gap by analysing the forms of governance and the role of different stakeholders. The hypothesis is that FMs are social constructions that respond to processes of social and institutional innovation through direct exchanges between producers, consumers and other stakeholders, articulated at both local and non-local level. The aim of the paper is to explore the interactions between stakeholders and the corresponding forms of multi-level governance that emerge. The method for testing the hypotheses is qualitative, through semi-structured interviews to FMs managers and conversations with producers and other stakeholders, conducted between May and August 2022 in Tuscany. The research was complemented by consultation of indirect sources, such as FMs websites and social networks. The results are summarized in the elaboration of a three-dimensional and territorially embedded governance model. The first dimension refers to the management of internal relations between stakeholders within the FM. The second corresponds to the activation of dialogue, negotiation, and agreement with the municipality and other local authorities, and with local farmers' unions. The third type corresponds to vertical flows between the FMs and extraterritorial bodies, i.e., regional government, regional and national farmers' unions and other stakeholder associations. It is important to note that at FMs level, processes of hybridization between the different types of governance are established. The article contributes to the analysis of FMs as economic and social constructions and may be useful for establishing comparative frameworks around institutional and collective action dimensions, multi-actor and multilevel studies of governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive retrospective data-linkage study aimed at evaluating the impact of Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) testing, treatment trends, and access to care in Tuscany over six years following their introduction. Utilizing administrative healthcare records, our work reveals a substantial increase in HCV tests in 2017, attributed to the decision to provide universal access to treatment. However, despite efforts to eradicate chronic HCV through a government-led plan, the target of treating 6,221 patients annually was not met, and services contracted after 2018, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings indicate a higher prevalence of HCV screening among females in the 33–53 age group, influenced by pregnancy-related recommendations, while diagnostic tests and treatment uptake were more common among males. Problematic substance users constituted a significant proportion of those tested and treated, emphasizing their priority in HCV screening. Our paper underscores the need for decentralized HCV models and alternative testing strategies, such as point-of-care assays, especially in populations accessing harm reduction services, communities, and prisons. The study acknowledges limitations in relying solely on administrative records, advocating for improved data access and timely linkages to accurately monitor HCV care cascades and inform regional plans. Despite challenges, the paper demonstrates the value of administrative record linkages in understanding the access to care pathway for hard-to-reach populations. The findings emphasize the importance of the national HCV elimination strategy and the need for enhanced data collection to assess progress accurately, providing insights for future regional and national interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Reti Medievali is the property of Firenze University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Remote sensing products are typically assessed using a single accuracy estimate for the entire map, despite significant variations in accuracy across different map areas or classes. Estimating per-pixel uncertainty is a major challenge for enhancing the usability and potential of remote sensing products. This paper introduces the dataDriven open access tool, a novel statistical design-based approach that specifically addresses this issue by estimating per-pixel uncertainty through a bootstrap resampling procedure. Leveraging Sentinel-2 remote sensing data as auxiliary information, the capabilities of the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform, and the R programming language, dataDriven can be applied in any world region and variables of interest. In this study, the dataDriven tool was tested in the Rincine forest estate study area—eastern Tuscany, Italy—focusing on volume density as the variable of interest. The average volume density was 0.042, corresponding to 420 m3 per hectare. The estimated pixel errors ranged between 93 m3 and 979 m3 per hectare and were 285 m3 per hectare on average. The ability to produce error estimates for each pixel in the map is a novel aspect in the context of the current advances in remote sensing and forest monitoring and assessment. It constitutes a significant support in forest management applications and also a powerful communication tool since it informs users about areas where map estimates are unreliable, at the same time highlighting the areas where the information provided via the map is more trustworthy. In light of this, the dataDriven tool aims to support researchers and practitioners in the spatially exhaustive use of remote sensing-derived products and map validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: The embryo and the fetus develop in a physiologically hypoxic environment, where vascularization is sustained by HIF-1, VEGF, and the β-adrenergic system. In animals, β3-adrenoceptors (β3-ARs), up-regulated by hypoxia, favor global fetal wellness to such an extent that most diseases related to prematurity are hypothesized to be induced or aggravated by a precocious β3-AR down-regulation, due to premature exposure to a relatively hyperoxic environment. In animals, β3-AR pharmacological agonism is currently investigated as a possible new therapeutic opportunity to counteract oxygen-induced damages. Our goal is to translate the knowledge acquired in animals to humans. Recently, we have demonstrated that fetuses become progressively more hypoxemic from mid-gestation to near-term, but starting from the 33rd–34th week, oxygenation progressively increases until birth. The present paper aims to describe a clinical research protocol, evaluating whether the expression level of HIF-1, β3-ARs, and VEGF is modulated by oxygen during intrauterine and postnatal life, in a similar way to animals. Materials and Methods: In a prospective, non-profit, single-center observational study we will enroll 100 preterm (group A) and 100 full-term newborns (group B). We will collect cord blood samples (T0) and measure the RNA expression level of HIF-1, β3-ARs, and VEGF by digital PCR. In preterms, we will also measure gene expression at 48–72h (T1), 14 days (T2), and 30 days (T3) of life and at 40 ± 3 weeks of post-menstrual age (T4), regardless of the day of life. We will compare group A (T0) vs. group B (T0) and identify any correlations between the values obtained from serial samples in group A and the clinical data of the patients. Our protocol has been approved by the Pediatric Ethical Committee for Clinical Research of the Tuscany region (number 291/2022). Expected Results: The observation that in infants, the HIF-1/β3-ARs/VEGF axis shows similar modulation to that of animals could suggest that β3-ARs also promote fetal well-being in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sheep farmers face increasing pressure to produce more in order to meet market demands, while consumers have more interest in animal welfare status and the environment. The aim of this paper was to categorize the on-farm welfare risks using the ClassyFarm protocol and to identify if welfare risk changed according to farm size. The critical issues we found were the low number of stockpersons, the small areas available for the animals, the lack of udder cleaning procedures during milking, and the lack of prevention plans for the most important infectious ovine diseases. As the number of animals within the farm increased, the management of the flock improved; on the other hand, the number of animal inspections decreased and the hygiene of the water worsened. The objective of the present work was to categorize the risks in the on-farm welfare of dairy sheep in semi-extensive systems in order to highlight if risks in welfare vary according to the farm size. To the best of our knowledge, this study constitutes one of the few categorizations of the risks in the welfare of dairy sheep reared semi-extensively. The survey was conducted on 12 semi-extensive dairy sheep farms in Tuscany (Central Italy), which were classified according to flock size: <500, from 500 to 1000, and >1000. The results showed an adequate rating for all the farms included in the study. The most critical issues concerned the ratio between the number of stockpersons and the number of animals within the farms, the small decubitus areas, the lack of udder cleaning procedures during milking operations, and, in terms of biosecurity, the lack of prevention, control, and eradication plans for the most important infectious ovine diseases. The results show that different items in the five areas evaluated, including the assessments of management of the flock, the number of daily inspections, and the hygiene of the water supplies are associated with the farm size. In large farms, the assessment of management of the flock was better, but the number of daily inspections and the hygiene of the water supplies were worse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetrical process of industrial development tends to increase regional disparities and result in different patterns of territorial exposure: the amount of support given to activities placed within industrial agglomerates. Spatial Attractiveness towards industrial placement tends to follow such patterns, as places with lower exposure tend to be more attractive, providing more support to productive activities. Spatial models based in economic methods have issues in precising the nature of Spatial Attractiveness disparities, as their interpretation of space as an abstracted parameter, provides insufficient locational precision to demonstrate these patterns and how those are dependent on relations between production, territorial endowments, and industrial agglomerates’ internal organization. Novel spatial-economic models ought to consider and incorporate spatial units reflecting the microfoundations of space while providing an accurate spatialization, crucial aspects to create knowledge useful for decision-making. Hence, the paper showcases spatial models tailored to address the differences in Spatial Attractiveness, based in spatial and economic territorial exposure indexes, to unveil the territorial-imbalances’ spatial logics. Organized in a GIS-based environment and using Tuscany as a proof-of-concept, the index-models identified factors of sensitivity or support to firms placed within industrial agglomerates providing an overview of spatial attractiveness within the territory, useful for supporting decision-making practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Sciurus vulgaris, commonly known as the Eurasian red squirrel, is a wild rodent species widely distributed throughout Europe and currently classified as "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite its conservation status, several threats, such as infectious diseases, habitat fragmentation and the introduction of the alien invasive species grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), could affect S. vulgaris populations. Ectopic pregnancy is a condition consisting of a pregnancy developing outside the uterus. Tumors affecting the reproductive tract are known to predispose to this condition. In this paper, we describe for the first time a case of lymphoma leading to an ectopic pregnancy in a Eurasian red squirrel. A deeper knowledge of the pathology of this species is important for estimating the impact of diseases on the S. vulgaris population. Moreover, wildlife can be a sentinel for pathologies that have environmental causes and that could affect other animals and humans that share the same environment. Thus, deeper knowledge of wildlife cancer incidence and the environmental and individual causes of cancer development is relevant from a comparative pathology perspective. Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is a life-threatening disease that affects humans and other mammals. Tumors causing ruptures of the reproductive tract have been identified as possible predisposing factors in human and veterinary medicine. We here describe a case of concomitant ectopic pregnancy and lymphoma in a Eurasian red squirrel found deceased in Italy and submitted to the public health laboratory Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana (IZSLT) for post-mortem examination. A full-term partially mummified ectopic fetus in the abdomen and a large fibrinonecrotic tubal scar adjacent to the right ovary were observed at necropsy. The tubal scar is likely the point of tubal rupture through which the fetus displaced. Histology revealed the presence of neoplastic cells referable to lymphoma infiltrating the ovary, spleen, small intestine, heart and peripancreatic adipose tissue. The lymphoma was further characterized as T-cell-type using immunohistochemistry. We suggest that the lymphoma, by involving the ovary, played a pathogenetic role in the development of a secondary EP by altering the genital tract at the structural and hormonal levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of concomitant ovarian lymphoma and EP in animals and humans in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic has wrought significant challenges on both national and regional economic systems, resulting in an exacerbation of poverty and a deceleration of economic growth. These repercussions have led to increased social tensions and discontent. Tuscany a key player in the Italian and European economies, warrants scrutiny concerning its economic structure post-pandemic, particularly in relation to the role played by industry districts and the ways for it to get out of the crisis and get back on track. This paper undertakes an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Tuscan economy, with a focus on EMAS-APO industry districts. It examines the region's standing in terms of national and European ERCI competitiveness, placing it at an average level. Additionally, the region ranks in the third decile of the DESI digitalization, indicating a commendable technological dynamism. An equally satisfying spending power in R&D, in percentage of GDP higher than the national one, and ranking 6th in the regions' rank, is flanked by a particularly vigorous innovation capacity of the production sector. Employing a symmetric branch-by-branch SAM 2019 analysis, derived from a sector-by-product 2014 SAM constructed by IRPET, serves as the foundational step in understanding the interventions and investments necessary for resuming growth. While affirming Tuscany's competitiveness, digitalization and technological dynamism, the analysis underscores the pivotal role of manufacturing. Notably, the textile, fashion and leather sectors hold significant weight, along with the slightly less impactful paper and pharmaceutical sectors, and the noteworthy role of tourism. The region emerges as innovative, competitive and export-oriented, albeit with certain sectors grappling with environmental challenges. The IMM based analysis reveals a satisfactory average integration degree of the production system, suggesting that, for an effective, robust and sustainable post-Covid recovery and economic resurgence, focused investments and demand stimulus policy should be directed towards the textile, fashion and leather industries. Additionally, there is a strong indication to channel investments into pharmaceuticals and health care, and on transportation (especially freight transportation), as well as wholesale and retail trade. While weaker, there is a notable suggestion to invest in metallurgy, computer hardware, tourism and paper industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big-data mining approaches based on Artificial Intelligence models can help forecast biodiversity changes before they happen. These approaches can predict macroscopic species distribution patterns and trends that can inform preventive measures to avoid the loss of ecosystem functions and services. They can, therefore, help study and mitigate climate change implications on biodiversity conservation in fragile ecosystems. Wetlands are particularly fragile ecosystems where climate change poses severe risks and has dramatically reduced their size over the past century, with profound consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Through big-data mining approaches, we can predict future wetland biodiversity trends in the context of climate change. This paper proposes such predictive analysis for a specific wetland: The Massaciuccoli Lake basin in Tuscany, Italy. This basin is a critical tourist attraction due to its rich biodiversity, making it an area of interest for citizens, tourists, and scientists. However, the region's suitability for native and non-native species is at risk due to climate and land-use change. Using machine-learning models, we predict the potential effects of climate change on animal spatial distribution in the basin under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The results suggest that habitat suitability has generally improved from 1950 to today, presumably owing to the targeted conservation strategies adopted in the area, but climate change will severely reduce bird biodiversity by 2050 while favouring several insect species' proliferation and other species' habitat change, even under a medium-emission scenario. This will lead to significant changes in the basin's biodiversity. Our methodology is adaptable to other wetland basins, being fully based on open data and models. The spatially explicit modelling used in this research provides valuable information for policymakers and spatial planners, complementing traditional biodiversity trend analyses. [Display omitted] • Bayesian Open Science ecological niche models for 180 species in an Italian wetland • Environmental change in the last 70 years has benefited animal biodiversity • Climate change will disadvantage birds even under medium greenhouse gas emission • Climate change will alter other species' richness and habitat distribution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flatbreads are particularly prevalent in the Mediterranean region, including Italy, where each community has its unique traditional recipe, preparation method, and baking system. This traditional narrative review provides an overview of the Italian flatbreads that have achieved national or international quality recognitions. The aims of this study are, firstly, to scientifically evaluate these flatbreads and establishing a catalog that includes both technical and cultural information, which are currently missing in the international scientific literature and, secondly, to conduct a comparative analysis of the technical and cultural diversity of traditional Italian flatbreads, outlining areas for future research development. The examined flatbreads were found to be characterized by considerable diversity, reflecting the Italian region's diverse culinary heritage. The formulation is generally simple and includes flour, water, possibly yeast, and salt. Additional ingredients are region dependent, reflecting local availability, and include fats of animal origin, or ham, mostly found in flatbreads from Northern Italy, while olive oil or EVOO is common in flatbreads of Tuscany, Liguria, and Sardinia. The types of flour also differ regionally: Besides soft wheat flour, durum wheat semolina is used in southern Italy and Sardinia, chestnut flour in Tuscany, rye flour in Alto Adige, chickpea flour in Liguria, and corn flour in central Italy. Historically, high-extraction flour and sourdough were largely used but have been replaced by refined flour and commercial baker's yeast over time. Flash baking (short time, high temperature) is generally adopted, and some flatbreads, typical of Sardinia, are baked twice, resulting in complete dryness and long shelf-life. In contrast, quickly prepared unleavened bread is a staple in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, Lunigiana, and the Po Valley. Overall, these results suggest encouraging the revival of the ancient baking tradition of using high-extraction flours and sourdough fermentation, which today are almost lost. Reintroducing these methods could increase the fiber, mineral and, vitamin content and ensure a rich sensory profile. Further research could focus on improving the nutritional quality, particularly, through salt reduction, acrylamide levels mitigation, and protein content increase. The lack of historical information highlights the need to perform historical research to gain a deeper understanding of origins, evolution and characteristics of Italian flatbreads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Virtual Archaeology Review is the property of Virtual Archaeology Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Starting on 2 November 2023, some territories in the Region of Tuscany in Italy were hit by exceptionally intense meteorological and calamitous events. The Region of Tuscany's government was immediately at the forefront of relief, assisting the population, and aiding restoration. On 3 November, a national state of emergency was declared due to flooding. Journalistic communication is an essential aspect of disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. In terms of protecting people and reducing damage, journalists and the media have an important role to play. This article reports an Italian case study analysing the behaviour of local media in cases of natural disaster. Nine focus groups were conducted with local journalists covering the flood emergency. The results highlight the role of social and institutional mediation, rather than mere dissemination, played by the local press in emergency situations, a central element in the construction of a community bond, precisely in moments of insecurity and disorientation. The narration of a disaster from the inside seems to have allowed the emergence and representation of hitherto unknown social realities in Tuscany. The goal of the news coverage was widened, making it possible to respond better to the diverse interests of the reading public and to satisfy in a short time and exhaustively the information needs of individual communities in difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allium ampeloprasum var. holmense (elephant garlic) is traditionally cultivated in "Val di Chiana", an area between Umbria and Tuscany regions of Central Italy, under the name "Aglione della Valdichiana". This product has recently increased in importance, becoming a key economic resource for local farmers. In 2019, phytosanitary problems of elephant garlic cloves ready for transplanting emerged in this cultivation area. Symptom/sign observations and fungal isolations were performed for cloves divided into four components (tunic, basal plate, reserve tissue and shoot) from six farms in the "Val di Chiana" area. Isolates obtained were identified, using partial β-tubulin (BenA) and calmodulin (CaM) or translation elongation factor 1α (tef1α) genes sequences, as belonging to Penicillium [P. allii (95%), P. citrinum (4%), P. brevicompactum (1%)] or Fusarium [F. oxysporum (81%), F. proliferatum (19%)]. Fusarium spp. were mainly associated with clove tunics and basal plates, while Penicillium spp. with basal plates, reserve tissues and shoots. Fungi often also developed from asymptomatic components, but a correlation was found between isolated pathogens and disease symptoms. Pathogenicity and virulence towards elephant garlic cloves were verified for a representative isolate of each identified species, and Penicillium allii was the most virulent. Strategies to control Fusarium and Penicillium spp. on cloves were assessed, including chemicals, a biocontrol agent, surface sterilization and heat treatment. Among these, treatments with Patriot Gold® (active ingredient [a.i.] Trichoderma asperellum TV1, approved in organic farming on crops similar to elephant garlic), or Signum® (a.i. boscalid + pyraclostrobin, approved for Integrated Pest Management systems on crops similar to elephant garlic), were effective in simultaneous reduction of Penicillium spp. and Fusarium spp. Transplanting of asymptomatic cloves combined with the use of the above treatments showed promising effects for pathogens control, and to assist elephant garlic crop establishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study evaluated the impact of verbenone, a common bark beetle aggregation inhibitor, on several saproxylic beetles in a pine forest in Tuscany (Italy). Verbenone pouches were added to traps baited with bark beetle pheromones, and we compared the captures from these traps with those of pheromone-only traps in spring–summer 2023. The captures contained 9440 beetles from 32 families and 57 species, with 80% being bark beetles. Predator beetles, beneficial insects which naturally control pest populations, made up 17%, including species not previously studied in combination with verbenone. While captures of some species were reduced in pheromone plus verbenone traps (including some pests), others showed no change, and some increased (including a few predators). Verbenone notably increased saproxylic beetle diversity when it was present in traps, implying potential implications of its use in limiting the aggregation of bark beetle pests on susceptible trees. In our study, we assessed the effects of verbenone, the most widely studied bark beetle aggregation inhibitor, on saproxylic beetles in a Mediterranean pine forest in Tuscany. Verbenone pouches were devised in the laboratory and then applied to Ips sexdentatus pheromone traps so that their catches could be compared to those of traps containing just the pheromone. The trial was carried out in spring–summer 2023, and insect catches were collected every two weeks. A total of 9440 beetles were collected that belonged to 32 different families and 57 species. About 80% of the captures were bark beetles, mainly Orthotomicus erosus. Beetle predators accounted for about 17% of the captures, with a total of 12 species. Some of these predator species had not yet been studied in relation to verbenone effects, like other saproxylic beetles recorded in this study. A significant reduction in captures was recorded for some beetles (e.g., I. sexdentatus and O. erosus), while for other species, no differences emerged, and in some cases, captures increased significantly when verbenone was present in the traps (i.e., Hylurgus ligniperda, Corticeus pini, and Aulonium ruficorne). The diversity of caught saproxylic beetles increased significantly in the verbenone traps, highlighting possible implications of the use of verbenone when managing bark beetle outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2013, loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta, Linnaeus 1758) nesting has been observed further north along the Italian coast, reaching the Tuscan coast (NW Mediterranean Sea). The four nesting events that occurred in Tuscany in the summer of 2019 spurred the scientific community to monitor these occurrences more carefully, following them from egg deposition to hatching. This provided an opportunity to collect samples for conducting multidisciplinary investigations, including the toxicological investigations of the biological material collected from the four nests. The aim of this study was to conduct an initial assessment of persistent organic pollutants in the eggs laid in Tuscany, aiming to establish a baseline on this topic for subsequent nesting events that have occurred until today. Organochlorine compounds (OCs), specifically polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), were analyzed and detected in unhatched eggs, embryos, and chorio-allantoic membranes (CAMs). OCs were detected in all samples, with PCBs > DDTs » HCB. A significant spatial variation in pollutant levels and profiles among sea turtle nesting locations was found. Embryos showed higher levels of contamination than egg contents regardless of the developmental stages. Depth of the laying chamber and egg mass were not significant factors in OC bioaccumulation. For the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, this study assessed the role of CAM in the transfer of contaminants to the embryo. Overall, the OC levels found were lower compared to the results from other studies conducted worldwide on loggerhead sea turtle biological material. This was the first assessment of nest biological material for the North-Western coast of Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the CO2 dissolved in water springs have long been observed near the epicenters of moderate and strong earthquakes. In a recent work focused on data collected during the 2017–2021 period from a monitoring site in the Northern Apennines, Italy, we noticed a significant correlation between CO2 anomalies and moderate-to-weak seismic activity. Here, we extended this analysis by focusing on data collected from the same site during a different period (2010–2013) and by integrating the CENSUS method with an artificial neural network (ANN) in the already-tested protocol. As in our previous work, a fit of the computed residual CO2 distributions allowed us to evidence statistically relevant CO2 anomalies. Thus, we extended a test of the linear dependence of these anomalies to seismic events over a longer period by means of binary correlations. This new analysis also included strong seismic events. Depending on the method applied, we observed different time lags. Specifically, using the CENSUS methodology, we detected a CO2 anomaly one day ahead of the earthquake and another anomaly eleven days ahead. However, no anomaly was observed with the ANN methodology. We also investigated possible correlations between CO2 concentrations and rain events and between rain events and earthquakes, highlighting the occurrence of a CO2 anomaly one day after a rain event of at least 10 mm and no linear dependence of seismic and rain events. Similar to our previous work, we achieved a probability gain of around 4, which is the probably of earthquake increases after CO2 anomaly observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is currently used to monitor not only the spread of the viral SARS-CoV-2 pandemic but also that of other viruses in endemic conditions, particularly in the absence of syndromic surveillance. The continuous monitoring of sewage requires high expenditure and significant time investments, highlighting the need for standardized methods and structured monitoring strategies. In this context, we conducted weekly wastewater monitoring in northwestern Tuscany (Italy) and targeted human adenovirus (HAdV), norovirus genogroup II (NoVggII), enterovirus (EV), and SARS-CoV-2. Samples were collected at the entrances of treatment plants and concentrated using PEG/NaCl precipitation, and viral nucleic acids were extracted and detected through real-time reverse transcription qPCR. NoVggII was the most identified target (84.4%), followed by HAdV, SARS-CoV-2, and EV. Only HAdV and EV exhibited seasonal peaks in spring and summer. Compared with data that were previously collected in the same study area (from February 2021 to September 2021), the results for SARS-CoV-2 revealed a shift from an epidemic to an endemic pattern, at least in the region under investigation, which was likely due to viral mutations that led to the spreading of new variants with increased resistance to summer environmental conditions. In conclusion, using standardized methods and an efficient monitoring strategy, WBE proves valuable for viral surveillance in pandemic and epidemic scenarios, enabling the identification of temporal–local distribution patterns that are useful for making informed public health decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several Jurassic, ophiolite-hosted Cu-Zn VMS deposits occur in Tuscany. They are hosted by tectonic units of oceanic affinity (Ligurian Units), such as the well-known deposits of nearby Liguria. Industrial production was small and definitively ceased in the 1960s. Locally, massive ore (chalcopyrite-bornite-chalcocite) with an exceptionally high grade was found. The Montecatini Val di Cecina mine exploited the largest "bonanza" and, for few decades in the 19th century, became one of the most profitable copper mines in Europe. This study provides an updated review of these deposits. Tuscan Cu-Zn VMSs mostly occur in proximity of the contact between the serpentinite-gabbro basement and the overlying basalts. Chalcopyrite-pyrite stockworks occur in serpentinite-gabbro cut by dolerite dykes, while the largest massive sulphide bodies are hosted by polymictic-monomictic breccias at the base of pillow basalts. Early chalcopyrite ores were mechanically–chemically reworked and upgraded to bornite-rich nodular ore embedded in a chlorite, calcic amphibole, Fe-rich serpentine, quartz, andradite, ilvaite, and xonotlite assemblage. This bornite-rich ore contains substantial amount of sphalerite and pyrite and ubiquitous grains of clausthalite, hessite, tellurium, and gold. They represent a prime example of the sub-seafloor portion of a hybrid mafic-ultramafic oceanic hydrothermal system formed in an OCC along the slow spreading ridge of the Jurassic Piedmont-Ligurian Ocean. The peculiar mineralogical–textural character of the bornite-rich ore was driven by an interface coupled dissolution–precipitation process mediated by fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A WebGis tool called GoProsit has been developed to support winegrowers in planning a new sustainable vineyard and in the identification of high-quality terroir in Tuscany, Central Italy, by providing various information on soils, climate, hydrological risks, and fertilization. GoProsit, hosted by the web platform GEAPP, is a free, user-friendly, and interactive Geographic Decision Support System (GDSS). Soil data behind the WebGis tool has a 1 ha resolution, achieved by processing the legacy vector-type soil database of the Tuscany Region with the DSMART (Disaggregation and Harmonization of Soil Map Units Through Resampled Classification Trees as supervised classification) algorithm, which disaggregated the map to 297,023 vineyard grid cells. Each grid cell holds climatic and pedologic information, along with physical and chemical features for each horizon of the most probable soil. GoProsit also provides soil maps in image format obtained by georeferencing about 50 historical soil maps (1969–2012). Finally, GoProsit runs and returns the outputs of six models: (a) carbon footprint, (b) potential erosion and maximum vine row length compatible with tolerable erosion, (c) potential water stress, (d) risk of runoff/waterlogging, (e) identification of suitable rootstocks, and (f) nutritional needs before planting. Statistics of the main model results for the investigated area are reported. This promising tool will soon be usable for the whole Italian territory; however, its potential makes it suitable for use in any wine-growing district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the seismic resilience of the Emergency Department of a hospital complex located in Tuscany (Italy), including its nonstructural components and organizational features, has been quantified. Special attention has been paid to the ceilings, whose potential damage stood out in past earthquakes. A comprehensive metamodel has been set, which can relate all the considered parameters to the assumed response quantity, i.e., the waiting time of the yellow-code patients arriving at the Emergency Department in the hours immediately after the seismic event. The seismic resilience of the Emergency Department has been measured for potential earthquakes compatible with the seismic hazard of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring soil organic carbon (SOC) typically assumes conducting a labor-intensive soil sampling campaign, followed by laboratory testing, which is both expensive and impractical for generating useful, spatially continuous data products. The present study leverages the power of machine learning (ML) and, in particular, deep neural networks (DNNs) for segmentation, as well as satellite imagery, to estimate the SOC remotely. We propose a new two-stage pipeline for remote SOC estimation, which relies on using a DNN trained to classify land cover to perform feature extraction, while the SOC estimation is performed by a different ML model. The first stage is an image segmentation DNN with the U-Net architecture, which is trained to estimate the land cover for an observed geographical region, based on multi-spectral images taken by the Sentinel-2 satellite constellation. This estimator is subsequently used to extract the latent feature vector for each of the output pixels, by rolling back from the output (dense) layer of the U-Net and accessing the last available convolutional layer of the same dimension as our desired output. The second stage is trained on a set of feature vectors extracted at the coordinates for which manual SOC measurements exist. We tested a variety of ML models and report on their performance. Using the best extremely randomized trees model, we generated a spatially continuous map of SOC estimations for the region of Tuscany, in Italy, with a resolution of 10 m, to share with the researchers as a means of validating the results and to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach, which can can easily be scaled to create a global continuous SOC map. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in the healthcare sector is making accurate forecasts across insurance years for claims reserve. Healthcare claims present huge variability and heterogeneity influenced by random decisions of the courts and intrinsic characteristics of the damaged parties, which makes traditional methods for estimating reserves inadequate. We propose a new methodology to estimate claim reserves in the healthcare insurance system based on generalized linear models using the Overdispersed Poisson distribution function. In this context, we developed a method to estimate the parameters of the quasi-likelihood function using a Gauss–Newton algorithm optimized through a genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm plays a crucial role in glimpsing the position of the global minimum to ensure a correct convergence of the Gauss–Newton method, where the choice of the initial guess is fundamental. This methodology is applied as a case study to the healthcare system of the Tuscany region. The results were validated by comparing them with state-of-the-art measurement of the confidence intervals of the Overdispersed Poisson distribution parameters with better outcomes. Hence, local healthcare authorities could use the proposed and improved methodology to allocate resources dedicated to healthcare and global management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Investigación e Innovación en Ingenierías is the property of Universidad Simon Bolivar and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this work, Arthrospira platensis grown in Tuscany, Italy, was investigated using different analytical approaches to characterize its volatile and non-volatile chemical composition. The results showed the presence of a high number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as hydrocarbons, furans, sulfides, alkanes, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, esters and compounds belonging to other chemical classes such as fatty acids, alcohols and sugars. Furthermore, a proximal composition analysis was also performed to determine the protein, fat, carbohydrate and ash content. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) determined by FRAP and ABTS•+ methods (5.96 mmol TE/g DW; 5.28 mmol Fe2+E/g DW, respectively), showed good reducing power and comparable free radical scavenging activity. The antibacterial power of spirulina-based alcoholic macerate (AM) was also evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213), Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 060127853), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29211), Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 700603) and Candida albicans (ATCC 24433) and the obtained data have shown that it had no effect against pathogenic bacterial strains. On the contrary, at low concentrations, AM exerted a prebiotic effect on some probiotic strains such as L. casei if treated with AM concentrations ranging from 1.56% v/v and 3.12% v/v and L. rhamnosus if treated with AM concentrations lower than 0.78% v/v. In conclusion, this study highlighted how spirulina, based on the rich composition and its antioxidant and prebiotic effect, can represent a source of beneficial substances for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toscana virus (TOSV), a sandfly-borne virus, is an important etiological agent in human acute meningitis and meningoencephalitis in the Mediterranean area during the summer. However, the actual number of TOSV infections is underestimated. Laboratory confirmation is necessary because TOSV infection has overlapping clinical features with other neuro-invasive viral infections. Nowadays, the reference test for direct diagnosis in the acute phase of TOSV infection is the PCR based method for detecting TOSV in cerebrospinal fluid and/or plasma, serum, or blood. Although poorly employed, urine is another helpful biological matrix for TOSV detection. Urine is a matrix rich in PCR inhibitors that affect PCR efficiency; consequently, false negatives could be generated. To investigate the potential effect of urine PCR inhibitors on TOSV detection, we compared undiluted and diluted urine using 10-fold series of spiked TOSV. The results showed a significant improvement in TOSV detection performance in diluted urine (1 TCID50 vs. 1 × 104 TCID50 limit of detection and 101.35% vs. 129.62% efficiency, respectively, in diluted and undiluted urine). In conclusion, our data provide preliminary important insights into the use of diluted urine to limit the impact of the inhibitory effects of urine on the detection of TOSV in RT-PCR-based approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape of an area is not only made up of natural elements but also of man-made elements represented by civil and agricultural artefacts and much more. These elements used to blend aesthetically and harmoniously with the landscape itself thanks to the use of local building materials. Particularly, this contribution examines the use of the travertine in the architecture of the Tuscany region from the Etruscan time to the contemporary age. In Tuscany, travertine is a remarkable example of an identity stone of the territory, so rich in thermal springs that favoured the formation of large deposits of this stone widely used in public and private buildings both in interior design and urban furnishing. The work was carried out through a survey in the Tuscan territory and collection of bibliographic information on the architectural web sites. The survey made it possible to collect a photographic documentation and to assess the state of conservation through the empirical observation of the morphologies of decay when present. Indeed, this stone material in the Mediterranean climate, which characterises Tuscany, shows a good durability against atmospheric agents but may be affected by a chromatic alteration that tends to give the surfaces a greyish appearance. This aesthetic issue is more evident in the Tuscan travertine due to is classic whitish colour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]